Students will begin the year of study with a focus on skills, the compositional building blocks of theater and an introduction to what it takes to create a theatrical performance.
By the end of their first year apprenticeship in theater, students will create and perform from memory a play. They will be able to reflect upon their experience and apply their knowledge to improve their skills.

Prerequisites:

Drama 1-2 is a prerequisite for Drama 3-4. Students need to have had prior performance experience and /or have approval from the instructor if they are entering from eighth grade to Drama 3-4.

Standards and final proficiencies:

* Students must have experience in creating an original or adapted piece of theatre, scene, monologue, or short play.
* Students must learn the play production process from choosing a text and seeing through the rehearsal and technical process to the performance.

Students must demonstrate and to the degree that they demonstrate effort are considered successful when they show evidence of the following:
1. Commitment to the performance project. Attendance, participation, attention to the everyday tasks needed for the advancement of the project are included here.
2. Demonstrated evidence of research of appropriate materials for the performance projects scheduled. This includes reading, presenting ideas to the group through a critical thinking process.
3. Follow through of the commitment to produce, re-write, build, paint, and create their part of the technical production.
4. Execute their role in the production as actor, director, stage manager, narrator, etc.
5. Through the evaluation process students will identify the skills learned and transfer these learning pieces to the next project.

Curriculum Concepts:
Truth in Acting
Rules for Improvisation
Actor's Objective, Intention
Supporting your acting partner
Short Form Improv
Long Form Improv
Storytelling
Two Person Scene
The One-Act Play

District adopted materials:

There is no adopted district text for Drama.

Supplemental resources:

Students will investigate a spectrum of literature including poetry, short stories, short plays, and music.

The differentiation strategies used in this course are based on the evidence (data) received through multiple forms of pre, ongoing, and formative assessments. Described here are the types of assessments used and specific differentiation strategies in place to meet the needs of ALL learners (including TAG, ESL, Special Ed...)

The differentiation strategies used in this course are based on the evidence (data) received through multiple forms of pre, ongoing, and formative assessments. Described here are the types of assessments used and specific differentiation strategies in place to meet the needs of ALL learners (including TAG, ESL, Special Ed...)

All lesson plans and projects have an inherent but clearly scaffolded structure that allows students to both challenge their limits as well as find their comfort level. Students in need of modification are equal in status but permitted to take on a role or position within the group that they can be successful within. Students who need extra support are paired or grouped with students who work side by side with them. As the instructor, I assist students with special needs, urging and protecting their performance, and monitoring their rate and level of achievement. Performance based learning provides everyone with the sense of "buying into" the project and meeting or exceeding their personal ability or skill level.

Grades come in the form of:
1. Daily FIve Point System
2. Written assignments at 10 additional points per assignment
3. Self Evaluation of their performance based experience: 50 points
4. Instructor Assessment of their performance based project 50 points

Behavioral expectations:

The Daily Five Point Assessment covers behavior as follows:
1. Prompt: Students must be on time to contribute to the project
2. Prepared: Students must follow through with materials needed.
3. Participating: Students must give their energy, ideas, and positive attitude in order to progress toward a successful goal.
4. Productivity: Students are either part of the problem solving solution that brings them closer each day to the final product or they are a deterrent to the goal.
5. Polite: Students must be very sensitive to the ideas and feelings of others when working toward a goal together. At the same time students need to have the courage to contribute their ideas and be heard as well.

In performance based learning the behavior and the work are integrated. Together with the commitment to the work and the commitment to working through relationships within the group the students will experience the "real world" of production.

Safety issues and requirements:

The following safety issues are covered within the course:
1. Students will be moving light sets, Charis, tables, etc. from one location to another on and off stage. We review how such objects are to be handled safely.
2. Students will be painting and cutting, however, only cardboard is used as a material, so no power tools are used.
3. Students are instructed in the safety and maintenance of working with paint, on an elevated stage, among others who are also working actively in the same environment.